Elk Hunt Area 61, North Greybull River: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 61 (North Greybull River) covers 385 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 69.3% public land, most of it national forest (97,512 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 955 active hunters took 537 elk here, 56.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 8 license rows here.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 7, final April 2026. Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 61Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Cody (216) |
| Size | 385 square miles (246,156 acres) |
| Public land | 69.3% (170,668 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 78,071 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 537 (56.2% of 955 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 4, Type 6, Type 7, Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Meeteetse and Cody |
How much public land is in Elk Area 61?
69.3% of elk Area 61 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 170,668 of 246,156 acres. The largest share is national forest, 97,512 acres or 39.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 61 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 97,512 | 39.6% |
| BLM | 41,946 | 17% |
| State trust land | 31,210 | 12.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 31,348 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,273 acres next to other public land, 11,983 acres road access or reached from other state land and 2,092 acres no known public access. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (78,071 acres). A nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area must be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 61
Hunter Management Areas: Pitchfork (23,831 acres here), Newell Springs (3,334 acres here) and Carter Mountain (36 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD elk hunt areas) from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land). Access areas: WGFD's WHMA, PAA, HMA and Walk-In boundaries. Wilderness: USFS wilderness boundaries as WGFD publishes them.
How many elk are harvested in Elk Area 61?
WGFD estimates 537 elk were taken in elk Area 61 in 2025: 137 bulls, 0 spikes, 354 cows and 46 calves. 955 hunters hunted, and 56.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 500 hunters, 62.4% success; nonresidents: 455 hunters, 49.5% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 955 | 537 | 137 | 0 | 354 | 46 | 56.2% | 5,047 | 9.4 |
| 2024 | 990 | 341 | 120 | 0 | 210 | 11 | 34.4% | 5,073 | 14.9 |
| 2023 | 876 | 698 | 143 | 4 | 443 | 108 | 79.7% | 4,898 | 7.0 |
| 2022 | 944 | 653 | 144 | 0 | 411 | 98 | 69.2% | 4,144 | 6.3 |
| 2021 | 938 | 521 | 120 | 2 | 327 | 72 | 55.5% | 4,673 | 9.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 153 | 148 | 98 | 66.2% | 967 |
| Type 2 | 51 | 50 | 30 | 60% | 308 |
| Type 4 | 100 | 95 | 39 | 41.1% | 413 |
| Type 6 | 298 | 248 | 148 | 59.7% | 974 |
| Type 7 | 502 | 446 | 211 | 47.3% | 2,189 |
| Type 9 | 25 | 23 | 11 | 47.8% | 196 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 13 of the PDF; earlier years from 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. WGFD counts a hunter as active if he hunted. Days per animal is worked out from WGFD's own two figures. A bull, in WGFD's tables, is a branch-antlered bull; spikes are counted apart.
When is elk season in Elk Area 61 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 61:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Any elk; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek | ||
| Type 1 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 125 | Any elk valid within the Washakie Wilderness; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek | |
| Type 2 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 7 to Nov 15 | 50 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Dec 21 | 100 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 7 to Dec 21 | 300 | Cow or calf |
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Dec 21 | 500 | Cow or calf valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of irrigated land or north of and including the Rawhide Creek drainage | |
| Type 7 | Jan 1 to Jan 15 | Cow or calf valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of irrigated land or north of and including the Rawhide Creek drainage | ||
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 25 | Any elk, archery only; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 9 to 10. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Elk Area 61?
From WGFD's 2026 initial drawing demand reports: each limited quota hunt's licenses, its first-choice applicants in each drawing, how many were drawn in the preference point drawings, and the fewest points that drew. WGFD does not publish how many drew in the random drawings. The rules for points and the deadlines are on the Wyoming draw page.
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 3 | 96 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 17 | not published | |
| Residents | 105 | 345 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 9 | 105 | 9 | 13 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 23 | 6 | 10 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 28 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 4 | not published | |
| Residents | 38 | 243 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 15 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 48 | 172 | not published | |
| Residents | 252 | 230 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 80 | 72 | not published | |
| Residents | 420 | 35 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 10 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 11 | not published | |
| Residents | 21 | 24 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 2 | 12 | 2 | 8 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 14 | 3 | 8 |
Source: WGFD 2026 elk demand report, nonresident preference point drawing and the other 2026 demand reports on WGFD's draw results page. Applicants who miss in a nonresident preference point drawing go on to the random drawing, so one person can be counted in both. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 61?
Highways through the area: WY 120 (about 8 miles inside it). Nearby: Meeteetse (on the line) and Cody (18 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 61?
Elk Area 61 touches 6 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 58 | Sage Creek | 255 | 33% | 168 (2025) |
| Area 59 | Boulder Basin | 393 | 91.1% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 62 | South Greybull River | 256 | 80% | 187 (2025) |
| Area 63 | Wood River-Gooseberry Creek | 366 | 70.1% | 278 (2025) |
| Area 66 | Basin | 1,915 | 78.2% | 76 (2025) |
| Area 67 | Wigins Fork | 700 | 80.4% | 953 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 61?
69.3% of elk Area 61 is public land: 170,668 of its 246,156 acres, the largest share national forest (97,512 acres). Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data.
What is the hunter success in Elk Area 61?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 56.2%: 955 active hunters took 537 elk. In 2024 it was 34.4% (341 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 61 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes January 15, by WGFD Commission Chapter 7. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Elk Area 61?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 6 limited quota hunts for elk Area 61. The largest, Type 7, had 500 licenses and 107 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 61?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Meeteetse (on the line) and Cody (18 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 61?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (78,071 acres) lies inside it. Wyoming law requires a nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area to be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: WGFD elk harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 9 to 10.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD elk hunt areas. Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land). Highways and towns: Census TIGER/Line 2024 and the 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Numbers are copied from WGFD and the other agencies named, or measured by FilledTag from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WGFD's regulations are the final word on every rule.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Cody Region Area 58 Area 59 Area 62 Area 63 Area 66 Area 67